Basket manufacture



Nov. 2, i937.

S. C. LAMPERT BASKET MANUFAGTURE Filed Jan. 16, 1957 '2 sheets-sheet 1 INVENTOR Nov. 2, 1937. l s. c. LAMPERT 2,098,049

' BASKET MANUFACTURE Filed Jan. 1e, 1937 2 sheets-sheet 2 ATTORNEYS Patented Nov. 2, 1937 UNITED STATES PATENT oFFlcE Farmers Manufacturing Company,

Norfolk,

Va., a corporation of Virginia Application January 16, 1937, Serial No. 120,847

8 Claims.

'I'he present invention relates more particularly to the manufacture of baskets of a type having sides formed of hooped staves and having a raised bottom supported at its under side by a liner hoop.

yi` Important objects of the invention are: to facilitate the manufacture of a basket of the aforesaid` type; to reduce the labor of stapling together the parts of the basket; and to provide improved apparatus for assembling the parts of 10 the basket and stapling them together.

Other objects of the invention will appear hereinafter.

In the drawings,

Fig. 1 is a sectional side view of a portion of a basket-making apparatus embodying features of the Vinvention and showing a basket undergoing a. stapling operation;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged detail sectional view of a portion of the apparatus and illustrating the stapling of the bottom structure of the basket;

Fig. 3 is a perspective View of the rest employed to support the head disk of the rotary former when swung away from the body of said former; and A Fig. 4 is a rear face view of the head disk and its swivel mounting.`

The drawingsillustrate the manufacture of an open-staved tub basket with a raised bottom. The basket structure includes staves I forming the side wall of the basket, a solid bottom panel 2 of sawed wood or veneer construction, a liner hoop 3 tting within the lower margin of the side wall and abutting the bottom panel, an outer bottom hoop 4, inner and outer hoops 5 and 6 respectively at the upper margin of the basket, and an intermediate outer hoop 'I. The bottom panel and all of the hoops are secured in place by stapling. My invention relates primarily to improvements in the manufacture of the bottom structure of the 40 basket.

According to one method of making such baskets, the liner hoop 3 is first formed and then the bottom of the basket is secured thereto by stapling independently of the staves I. Then the bottom assembly so formed is associated with the staves and the bottom hoop 4 and secured by additional stapling My invention eliminates said preliminary operation of stapling the bottom to the liner hoop and enables the bottom structure to be secured inplace simultaneously with the stapling of the various hoops to the staves.

For performing the improved stapling, I have provided improved features in a basket-making apparatus of the type disclosed in United States patent to'A. H. Schmidtke, No. 1,682,769. Such an apparatus has a rotary former on which the basket parts are assembled and on which they are stapled together. The stapling operations are performed by stapling devices 8 disposed directly over the rotary former and spaced therealong ac- `5 cording to the spacing of the basket hoops. The former is rotatable step-by-step by power driven mechanism, not shown, to bring successive points on the hoops beneath the devices 8 for stapling, and means arer provided to operate the devicesautomatically and simultaneously when said points on the hoop yare brought' therebeneath. The machine may also be provided with means for feeding the staves successively onto the periphery of the rotary former. Said means for operating `15 the stapling devices and the means for feeding the staves into position are not illustrated as they form no part of the present invention. 1

The rotary former, designated 9, is rotatably mounted'on a Xed shaft I 0 supported at one end 52'0 by a standard II and disposed at aninclination. Its structure includes a number of metal disks I2, I3 and I4 of progressively increasing diameter toward the supported end of the shaft. Each of the disks has a conical peripheral facing affording 25 an inner support for the staves and on disks I2 and I3 serving as anvils' for clinching the staples. Each disk also has a hub provided with a set screw to lock it to a sleeve I5 rotatably fitted on the shaft I0. 30

A rotary disk I5 'is operatively disposable to form an outer head for the rotary former and a support for the liner hoop 3 and the bottom panel 2. Said disk is mounted to swing between its operative position at the end of the rotary former '35 and a substantially horizontal position below the` level of the former. The mounting for the disk includes an arm II, one end of which has a swivel connection IB with a pedestal IS, enabling the arm to swing in a vertical plane about an axis located 40 below the level of the rotary former. The opposite end of the arm bears a bolt 20 having a cylindrical head 2|. The disk I6 has a central bearing bore 22 receiving the bolt head for rotatable support of the disk on the arm, the outer 45 face of the disk bearing against an abutment bearing surface 23 on the arm. Preferably the bearing bore of the disk has a shoulder 24 engageable by the bolt head for retention of the disk on the' swiveled arm, and a nut is screwed on the 50 outer end of the bolt. The bolt is so disposed that when the disk is in operative position at the end of the rotary former the disk will be rotatable coaxially with the former.

A rest 25 for the disk I6 is supported by stand- 55 ards 26 approximately at the level of the swivel axis of the disk-supporting arm. Said rest forms an approximately semi-circular ledge to engage the outer margin of the disk and support the latter in an approximately horizontal position when it is swung away from the rotary former. The rest 25 also has upstanding guide tongues 21 spaced therearound and flared outwardly at their upper ends. The purpose of these guides will be explained hereinafter.

The disk I6 has at its inner or upper face an integral annular flange 28 spaced inwardly from its outer edge to afford an abutment margin 29 therearound. A metal anvil ring 30 is fitted around the periphery of the flange 28 and is of the same depth as the flange. The depth of the flange 28 and its anvil ring should correspond with the depth of the liner hoop 3. At points spaced around the inner side of the flange the inner face of the disk bears sharp barbs or spurs 3l whose points project beyond the ange. The outer disk I4 of the rotary former also bears a number of sharp barbs or spurs 32 whose points project beyond the outer face of the disk. As shown, the barbs or spurs 3l and 32 may have screw threaded Shanks to releasably secure them in threaded bores in their respective disks.

The apparatus just described is employed as follows, to assemble and staple the parts of the basket: The head disk I6 is swung downwardly to the position indicated by dotted lines in Fig. 1, with the outer margin of the disk supported upon the rest 25, and the disk flange 28 with its anvil ring in upstanding position. A preformed liner hoop 3 is fitted over the anvil ring 3s. Next, the bottom panel 2 of the basket is placed over the disk to rest upon the flange 28, the anvil ring 29 and the edge of the liner hoop 3, the panel being tapped or forced into this position so that the barbs 3| penetrate the under face of the panel. The upstanding guides 21 engage the edge of the panel and guide the placing of the panel into accurately centered relation to the liner hoop, so that the periphery of the hoop is flush with the edge of the bottom panel. The lower edge of the liner hoop is backed up by the abutment margin 29 of the disk. Thus the bottom parts of the basket are accurately assembled in a convenient position away from the rotary former and the stapling devices, and the parts are held together without preliminary stapling.

With the basket bottom and the liner hoop so assembled and temporarily secured to the disk by Y the anvil ring 33, the abutment 29 and the barbs 3l the swiveled arm I1 is swung upwardly to dispose the disk in operative position at the outer end of the rotary former. If required, latch means may be provided for the arm I 'I to hold the disk in position. In this position, the basket bottom is disposed flat against the outer face of the disk I4 of the rotary former, and the sharp points of the barbs 32 borne by said disk are forced into the basket bottom. The disk I4 serves as a stop abutment to position the basket bottom in proper relation to the outermost stapler. Through the medium of the barbs 3| and 32, the disk I 6, the liner hoop 3 and the basket bottom are locked to rotate as a unit with the rotary former. The staves I are then applied in succession to the rotary former and the hoops 4, 6 and 'l are formed therearound, hoop 5 having been previously formed and fitted over the anvil surface of disk I2. All of the parts are positioned for stapling together by simultaneous operation of all of the stapling devices 8.

The disk I4 of the rotary former, the head disk I 6 and the outermost stapling device 8 are so correlated that, with the parts positioned as shown in full lines in Figs. 1 and 2, the staple driver of said device 8 will span the plane of abutment between the basket bottom 2 and the inside hoop 3. As shown, the outer hoop 4 and the staves I also span said plane and extend down to the bottom edge of the liner hoop. The staple drive is disposed obliquely in a position to direct one leg of the staples toward the edge of the basket bottom 2, at one side of said plane of abutment, and direct the other leg of the staple toward a medial point of the liner hoop, at the opposite side of said plane. Then, upon operation of the stapling device, one leg will penetrate the outer hoop 4,

the stave I and the edge of the basket bottom 2, and the other leg will penetrate the hoop 4, the stave I and the liner hoop 3 and be clinched or headed upon the anvil ring 30. As shown, the latter may be circumferentially grooved, as at 30 to direct the clinching of one leg of the staple circumferentally of the hoop 3. Thus by a single stapling operation the hoop 4, the stave I, the bottom 2 and the liner hoop 3 are all fastened together securely. At the same time, the other parts of the basket are secured together by the other stapling devices. Upon completion of the stapling the arm I'I is swung to force the disk I6 free from the bottom structure of the basket and swing the disk downward to its horizontal position. The basket may then be Withdrawn from the rotary former.

It will be seen that my invention effects economy in labor and time and also in the num- 2 ber of staples employed. It eliminates the operation of stapling together the basket bottom and liner hoop preliminary to nal stapling of said parts in place and thereby dispenses with a machine required for such preliminary stapling. It provides a method of making a basket of the raised bottom type which involves the employment of a mechanical stapling device and a circumferential row of staples to join the side wall of the basket to both a bottom panel and a preformed liner hoop, the bottom panel and the hoop being assembled in a convenient position away from the stapling device, and a releasable holding connection being established to temporarily hold them in proper relation. The temporary holding connection is maintained while the bottom assembly is shifted to the stapler and while the side wall of the basket is constructed around the bottom assembly and stapled thereto. 'Then said holding connection is released.

What I claim is:

1. The method of making a basket of the raised bottom type, comprising assembling a bottom structure for the basket by placing a basket bottom panel and a preformed liner hoop in mutually centered relation with the edge margin of said panel abutting an edge of said hoop, establishing a holding connection to temporarily secure said panel and hoop in said abutting and centered relation, constructing the side wall of the basket around the hoop and panel in overlapping relation to their peripheries While they are so temporarily held together and driving fastening elements to secure the side wall of the basket to the liner hoop and to the edge of the bottom panel, and then releasing said temporary holding connection.

2. The method of making a basket of the raised bottom type which involves the employment of only a single mechanical stapling device and a Y single circumferential row of staples to join the side wall of the basket to both a basket bottom panel and a liner hoop, comprising assembling a bottom structure for the basket in a position away from the stapling device by placing a basket bottom panel and a preformed liner hoop in mutually centered relation with the edge margin of said panel abutting an edge of said hooppest'ablishing a holding connection to temporarily secure said panel and hoop in said abutting and centered,

relation, shifting the hoop and panel while so temporarily secured to a position so correlated with the stapling device that the latter will direct one leg of a staple toward the edge of the bottom panel and the other leg toward the outer side of the liner hoop, constructing the side wall of the basket around the hoop and panel in overlapping relation to their peripheries while they are so temporarily held together and driving a circumferential row of staples by means of said stapling device so that one leg of each staple penetrates the side wall of the basket and the liner hoop and the other leg penetrates theV side wall of the basket and the edge of the bottom panel, and then releasing the said temporary holding connection.

3.7In an apparatus for making baskets of`the raised bottom type, and including a stapling device and a rotary former for construction of the side wall of the basket therearound, a head disk for said former mounted for rotation and for shifting to an operative position at one end of the former and to a basket bottom assembling position away from the former and having an anvil periphery to iit within a liner hoop and an abutment for the outer edge of the liner hoop, releasable holding means borne by said disk to temporarily secure a basket bottom panel against the opposite edge of said hoop, for shifting of the disk the hoop and the panel as a unit from said assembling position to said operative position and a positioning stop abutment for the basket bottom panel borne by the rotary former and correlated with the stapling device and with said head disk to position the latter so that in said operative position of the disk the disk will support the liner hoop for reception of one leg of a staple from said device through the side wall of the basket and into the edge of said panel and the other leg through the basket side wall and the liner hoop, for the purpose set forth.

4. In an apparatus for making baskets of the raised bottom type, and including a stapling device and a rotary former for construction of the side wall of the basket therearound, a head disk for said former shiftable to an operative position at one end oi the former and to a basket bottom assembling position away from the former and having an anvil periphery to fit within a liner hoop and an abutment for the outer edge of the liner hoop, releasable holding means borne by said disk and operable by the act of placing a basket bottom panel upon the opposite edge' of said hoop to temporarily hold the panel so placed, for shifting of the disk the hoop and the panel as a unit from said assembling position to said operative position, and a positioning stop abutment for the basket bottom panel borne by the rotary former and correlated with the stapling device and with said head disk to position the latter so that in said operative position of the disk the disk will support the liner hoop for reception of one leg of a staple from said device through the side wall of the basket and into the edge of said panel and the other leg through the basket side wall and theiliner hoop, for the purpose set forth. 5. 'Apparatus for making stave-sided baskets of the raised bottom type, including a rotary Aformer to support the staves therearound, stapling devices spaced along said former to staple hoops to the staves, a rotary head disk and a mounting for saidk diskenabling the disk to be operatively disposed `at one end of the former and to be shifted-to an inoperative position away from the former, characterized in that the head disk has an anvil surface to t within a liner hoop for the basket bottom, a supporting abutment for'the lower edge of the liner hoop is borne by the head disk, guide means are mounted in a correlation to the head disk to guide the placing of the bottom of the basket upon the opposite edge of the liner hoop and in centered relation to said hoop when the latter is supported by the head disk and the disk is disposed in its said position away from the rotary former, the disk has means for temporarily securing the basket bottom thereto for shifting of the hoop and bottom as a unit with the disk to the said' end of the former, and the disk is operatively disposable with reference to said former and with reference to one of said stapling devices to position the bottom and liner hoop for stapling by said device so that one leg of each staple penetrates the staves and the edge of the basket bottom and the other leg penetrates the staves and the liner hoop and is clinched by said anvil surface.

6. Apparatus for making stave-sided baskets of the raised bottom type, including a rotary former to support the staves therearound,

stapling devices spaced along said former to staple hoops to the staves, a rotary head disk and a mounting for said disk enabling the disk to be operatively disposed at one end of the former and to be shifted to an inoperative position away from the former, characterized in that the head disk has an anvil surface to t within a liner hoop for the basket bottom, a supporting abutment for the lower edge of the linerl hoop is borne by the head disk, guide means are mounted in a correlation to the head disk vto guide the placing of the bottom of the basket upon the opposite edge of the liner hoop and in centered relation to' said hoop when the latter is supported by the head disk and the disk is disposed in its said position away from the rotary former, the disk has barbs disposed to penetrate the under face of the basket bottom to temporarily secure the bottom to the disk for shifting of the hoop and bottom as a unit with the disk to the said end of the former, and the disk is operatively'disposable with reference to said former and with reference to one of said stapling devices to position the bottom and liner hoop for stapling by said device so that one leg of each staple penetrates the staves and the edge of the basket bottom and the other leg penetrates the staves and the liner hoop and is clinched by said anvil surface.

7. Apparatus for making stave-sided baskets of the raised bottom type, including a rotary former to support the staves therearound, stapling Ydevices spaced alo-ng said former to staple hoops to the staves, and a head disk shiftable toward and from one end of the rotaryV 10 liner hoop for stapling by said device so that one `leg of each staple penetrates the staves and the edge of the basket bottom and the other ieg penetrates the staves and the liner hoop and is clinched by said anvil surface.

8. Basket-making apparatus according to claim '7, characterized in that the; rotary former also has a barb disposed to penetrate the inner face of the basket bottom to lock the bottom to rotate with the rotary former.

VSADRON C. LAMPERT, 

